South Sudan opposition alliance reiterates support for Boutros faction

May 16, 2019 (JUBA) – The South Sudan Opposition Alliance voiced its support to Khalid Boutros, the leader of a National Salvation Front (NAS) faction that joined the revitalized peace agreement.

Boutros’s chairmanship of the group recently was put at risk by a member of his faction called Gasim Barnaba Kisanga, who declared himself as the new chairman of NAS.

“We condemn such irresponsible political opportunism in the strongest possible terms and caution any anti-peace elements who are trying to detract the focus of SSOA member parties,” said SSOA spokesperson Stephan Lual in a statement to Sudan Tribune on Thursday.

The statement urged the faction members who broke away from Boutros to reconsider to “come back to their Party or risk being isolated”.

The IGAD mediation refuses to acknowledge the splinter groups to discourage the proliferation of dissents. Also, it needs to Juba’s consent if it considers to integrate them into the peace process for the non-signatory groups.

(ST)